Convert Text to Shapes by Intersecting in PowerPoint 2013

Learn how to convert PowerPoint text into editable shapes in PowerPoint 2013

Author:Geetesh Bajaj

Product/Version: Microsoft PowerPoint 2013OS: Windows 7 and 8

Date Created: January 9th 2014Last Updated: January 9th 2014

PowerPoint 2013 has several new features but
there's nothing quite like what we will explore on this page -- an option to convert regular text into a
shape. First of all, this is an undocumented feature -- so it was really cool discovering how this was done.
And then, this is such an utterly useful option -- people find all sorts of excuses to use this feature.
For example, you can now easily create logos in PowerPoint without using any other application. Or use a
fancy font and then share that presentation with others in the knowledge that recipients can see the font
exactly as intended, even if it's not installed on their computers.

Before we begin, you need to know that there are two methods through which you can convert text to shapes
in PowerPoint:

The Intersect method: By converting text to a single shape -- think of each paragraph
or multiple paragraphs as a separate shape

The Fragment method: By converting text into multiple individual shapes -- think of
each alphabet as a separate shape

If your source text is within a text placeholder, there's an easy solution -- select your text placeholder
and copy it. Then paste immediately within the same slide -- the pasted copy is now a text box -- select this
text box, and follow the remaining steps of this tutorial.
You might want to delete your original text placeholder because it might get in the way while selecting the text box, but that’s entirely optional.

Insert a shape (we choose a Rectangle) on
your slide. Make sure that it overlaps your text box in a way that covers it completely, as shown in
Figure 2.

Figure 2: Rectangle shape being drawn over the text box

Once the Rectangle shape is placed,
reorder the Rectangle shape
by sending it behind the existing text box, as shown in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Text Box above Rectangle shape

Now, carefully select the text box and then select the Rectangle shape. It's important that you select
the text box first -- since the output shape will take the format of whatever is selected first.

Once your selections are done, access the Drawing Tools Format contextual tab of the Ribbon (highlighted
in red within Figure 4), and click the
Merge Shapes button (highlighted in blue within
Figure 4).

Figure 4: Merge Shapes button

This brings up the Merge Shapes drop-down gallery, as shown in Figure 5.
Within the Merge Shapes drop-down gallery hover the cursor over the Intersect
option to see a live preview, as
shown in Figure 5. Click the Intersect option to convert the text into shape.

Have your ever used keyboard shortcuts and sequences in PowerPoint? Or are you a complete keyboard aficionado? Do you want to learn about some new shortcuts? Or do you want to know if your favorite keyboard shortcuts are documented?